


The Little Things Count Up

by JenelleLucia



Category: Tiger & Bunny
Genre: Creds to Cosmo, F/M, I also love magazine articles, I love this pairing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-20
Updated: 2016-08-20
Packaged: 2018-08-09 20:15:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7815589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JenelleLucia/pseuds/JenelleLucia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes, coincidences like these are meant to happen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Little Things Count Up

_10 Little Signs that You're Always on His Mind_. 

Karina kind of figured that the last article she read seemed like a coincidence, and along with the awkward confession from Barnaby (that she also kind of returned herself) she didn't really know where they stood this time. Fortunately, Nathan was able to shove this article in her face and sit her down by the bench close to the winding staircase of the training center so she could read in peace...

...and maybe get her thoughts together while she was at it. 

* * *

_I. He messages you cute little inside jokes throughout the day_

Filming her newest music video was exhausting enough. On top of that, the weather, while perfect enough to set the scene, was just god awful. And frankly, Karina wanted to be anywhere else but there. Having ice powers was a bonus, sure; and the Blue Rose costume, although skimpy, actually helped keep her cooler, it wasn't the heat that was bothering her. 

It was more or less just being there that did. 

Karina sat in the director's chair, waiting for the cue to start filming when she felt a buzz coming from her robe's pocket. She took out her phone, smiling slightly when the notification popped up on her lockscreen. After typing in her password, she swiped to the messaging app before reading the complete text and laughing. 

_'You seem pretty busy atm.'_

As soon as she sent it, he was already typing back. _Buzz, buzz_. _'I guess. How's the shoot going?'_

_'Haven't started. How's the commercial going?'_

_'...'_

_'I won't know what '...' means until you tell me.'_

_'...I might need a few jellybeans to get me going again.'_

At this point, even though in the end it might have looked unprofessional, Karina was fighting the urge to just double over and laugh. BBJ was no jokester, and this seemed like a pretty weak attempt at trying to be one, but she appreciated it nonetheless. She was typing in her last text when she was called to start filming, and immediately sent it before slipping her phone into the pocket of her robe and shoving it off. 

_'Barnaby, what am I going to do with you?'_

* * *

_II. He's always surprising you with something on his way home_

Karina sat at her desk, typing up what was supposed to be a ten page paper with a bibliography and full out research. It was supposed to be easy and a lot less work especially with the sources she had and the continuously edited drafts her professor handed to her to have typed up and handed in once Monday hit. 

She was a lot better at procrastinating than actually getting to work. 

Sure, it was Saturday. And sure, she had some more time to work on her paper. 

The thing was, she was exhausted. A flash crime came up, along with Nathan offering her to take her out to dinner with Pao lin after filming (and as a bonus, it was to one of her favorite restaraunts) set some time off - though intentionally it was on her for wasting some time. 

(Then again, the food was _so_ good...) 

From where she was sitting, Karina could hear the muffled sounds beneath her feet of her mother opening the door, followed by what sounded like a, "It's a surprise to see you here!" and someone coming up the stairs. 

"Karina," from outside the door, hearing her father knock against it a few times. "You have a visitor downstairs."

"Huh?" she removed her earbuds, immediately pausing the song she was on before getting out of her seat to greet her so-called visitor. And once she was greeted with a face full of white leather, she pulled back slightly to lock eyes with familiar hues of green. "What are you doing here so late?" 

"I should be asking you what you're doing up at this hour," Barnaby answered, pushing his glasses up to the bridge of his nose before holding out a plastic bag. "Here." 

"What's this?" Karina opened up the bag to find some chocolate - of course, all her favorite brand, some Pepsi Nex, heating pads...

"It's not like I have it or anything...?" 

"Well, no, but Fire Emblem told me you were having a hard time writing tonight. I thought this would help." 

Karina felt that it wasn't really _Nathan_ who told him anything. "You're a really bad liar, Barnaby." 

( _But thanks_.) 

* * *

  _III. He follows up on conversations you've had_

"...So, did Agnes say anything about the broadcast from last night?" Barnaby asked as he towered over her, making sure to keep his hands under the bar that Karina was using to benchpress with. 

 "All she told me was that we have to wait for the next one," Karina grunted slightly, trying her best to lift the bar a little higher. "I didn't peg you as the gossip type, though." 

"I was just interested." 

(There was that stupid smirk again...) 

"Whatever. It wasn't important anyways." 

" _You_ think it's not important." Karina, with Barnaby's help, carefully placed the bar back onto the handles and the blonde carefully slid out from where the bar was placed so she wouldn't hit her head before shifting slightly to take a look at him. 

"What do you mean by that?" 

 Barnaby moved from where he stood to take a seat on the bench next to her. "You wanted that footage from last night cut out, don't you?" 

"Well, yeah it - " Karina had to think about it. The footage from last night - though it wasn't like a scandalous nip slip or anything close to that - was of the third time she was saved by Barnaby. _Third_. She was already getting crap from her company for it; a third time...

...she didn't even know what would happen now that it was the third time. 

"I wouldn't worry about it," Barnaby answered, placing his hands on the side of the bench before leaning back slightly. "I'd say you made me stand out rescuing you again." 

Inwardly, Karina was laughing. Muttering something that sounded like "jerk" under her breath, the much shorter blonde got up and pushed him off, watching him land back first onto the carpet. 

Though he gave her a bewildered look at first, he started laughing. 

(I guess this was a result of getting closer...) 

* * *

  _IV. Everything reminds her of you, and sometimes it's a reach_

It wasn't a date.

 _This seriously wasn't a date_. 

She remembered the last time she and Barnaby went on one of their so-called "dates" - from what they had to tell the other heroes, it was simply dinner between two colleagues; Nathan and Kotetsu were able to tell otherwise - and after an intense amount of teasing from Kotetsu and Pao lin, it took her some courage to agree to go out with Barnaby (oh god, especially in front of the others...). Now, they were just taking a stroll down the block close to the HERO TV training area. Looking back up at one of the windows, Karina could only make a face as she could see a speck that seemed to be Pao lin watching them before turning back to focus on the street ahead. 

"You know that they're going to wait there until we get back," Barnaby answered almost nonchalantly, shoving his hands into his pockets while keeping his eyes on the street. Karina could only look up at him momentarily before absentmindedly turning her attention away from him to look at one of the window stores and letting her eye catch onto something. "Hey, Barnaby."

"Hm?" 

"Remember that?" A replica of the Tears of Hercules necklace was on a mannequin on window display, and that managed to catch her eye enough for him to stop walking and look at it. 

"Uhh..." He wanted to laugh. That was _not_ a pout on Karina's face. In all these years of knowing her, from the day he began working at Hero TV he'd never seen her pout. Not even once. Blue Rose, maybe, wasn't a pouter. 

(Karina was, as uncharaceristically funny as that was to him.) 

"We tried to stage a robbery for your birthday, remember?" she tried again. "That was also when we got you that bunny plushie." 

Ahh...that one. It was a failed surprise, and at the time he wasn't really too concerned with playing nice at the time, but he appreciated that she remembered. 

And seeing her turn away and blush at that was just a bonus. 

At least for Barnaby it was.

* * *

_V. She messages you first thing in the morning and right before she goes to bed_

The first time she did that, Barnaby thought nothing of it. And as time went on, she made it a habit of sending him texts like that. 

That made him think, though.

It was probably just her being courteous and sending him 'good morning'/'good night' texts and she probably sent them to the other heroes (also, group chats with the others were so convenient for knowing what exactly she was up to).

There was nothing in the group chat. 

That was when he decided to privately text Nathan about Karina's habits (and probably ask the others if she did the same thing...) 

 _'Ms. Rose doesn't send me anything of the sort! But good morning, and good morning again!'_  was all he could get from Sky High. Typical. 

 _'Uh...she doesn't send me anything like that, bud. Sorry.'_ Just when he thought his partner got those texts, too...

(Okay. Time to call Nathan then.) 

"Oh, Handsome! To what do I owe the pleasure?" Nathan asked with almost the same flourish he always had as soon as he picked up. On the other end, Barnaby could hear another man in the background as well as the coffee machine running and something sizzling on the stove. 

"I just wanted to ask you something," Barnaby replied, then digging through his freezer for those easy waffles that he was able to pop in the toaster.

"I'm all ears, Handsome! Anything for you!" 

"...Does Karina send you like, 'good morning' texts?" 

"Hmm..." he heard Nathan hum on the other end, though it was muffled slightly by the sound of him sipping some coffee. "...She doesn't." 

_Wait. What?_

Barnaby narrowed his eyes at the speaker, then holding it against his shoulders as he popped the frozen waffles into the toaster. "...She doesn't?" 

"Oh, no! She believes that it's more personal when she says it to my face." 

If she believed that... "Then why send _me_ those texts if she thinks that saying it face to face is 'more personal'?" 

He swore Nathan was grinning on the other end. "Maybe it's because she thinks you're special, Handsome."

* * *

  _VI. He remembers insane anniversaries_

"You know what today is?" Barnaby asked, taking a seat by the bench near the treadmills as he watched Karina run. 

"Uhh..." Now it was her turn to be dumbfounded. It was Tuesday, that's for sure. And she was also pretty sure that she bombed her test earlier at school. Those probably weren't the answers he wanted, but she looked over at him once before looking back to take note of the miles she had run since she started. "Tuesday...?" 

"It's been two years since we first started collaborating as BTB." 

Oh. For real? Two years? It was either the fact that she was getting old, or she didn't do too many BTB collaborations all that often anymore. 

(It was probably the second option, anyway.) 

"Oh..." Happy anniversary? She didn't know what to say then. Barnaby only chuckled as he watched Karina stop, then patting the seat next to her. 

"I guess that was how everything started between us." 

"You must be joking. I barely talked to you after that." 

"You had some genuine concern for me after that." Karina wasn't sure if she could call it genuine, but the concern started laying its foundation and before long, feelings - feelings she knew Tiger would _never_ return and feelings she never thought she'd possibly have for _Barnaby_ of all people - started taking shape, too. 

"Two years worth of summer romance then," she finally said with a smile. 

"Haha, thank you." He smiled back. 

(It seemed like more than _just_ a summer romance at this point.)

* * *

  _VII. She always messages you when she's out_  

 Press conferences were not, and possibly never would have been Karina's thing. Nathan knew that very well, and so did Pao lin. Barnaby, though, while he was able to power through that last conference he and Kotetsu had, he never though sending her off to one would have been so...hard. 

"I'll call you when I get out?" she offered over the phone before it started. Though she wasn't there in person, and no one else was around to listen, he had to admit that hearing her voice was her enough. 

"Yeah," he answered in an almost defeated tone that even she was surprised to hear from him. "That's fine. Good luck, Karina." 

"Thanks." Once Karina hung up, Barnaby sighed, turning on his heel when he heard Kotetsu yelling for him so they could start shooting the commercial for that other cleaning brand he knew she shot for once or twice. 

The press conference, though, droned on. Karina never thought that she'd hate camera flashes even more than she already did before, the questions were becoming way too personal, and wait...oh, god was that a Blue Rose standee in a really, _really_ compromising position? Since when did she have a shoot like that?! Well...she did have a moment or two to kill, and when Robert wasn't looking Karina took her phone out from a hidden pocket she had no idea her outfit had and kept it underneath the table so she could text. _'Are you busy?'_

In the meanwhile, Barnaby was seated in a director's chair watching Kotetsu's photo session go on before feeling a vibration in his side pocket and taking it out to see a message from Karina.

 _'No, just getting ready to shoot this commercial,'_ he typed back.

 Wait a minute. This situation was familiar.

Karina, on the other hand was confused when he already began typing another reply after he sent one of his own. _'...'_

 _'Karina, please don't let me be the one to lecture you on professionalism.'_ Ahh. So the tables had turned then. Karina was trying not to laugh as Barnaby sent her the text, and once Robert gave her the look that signalled her to put her phone away, she sent him one last text before slipping it back into that hidden pocket with a small smile ghosting on her face. 

_'Just going to remind you that I was the one who lectured you on the same thing just a few months ago, Barnaby.'_

* * *

_VIII. His gifts are so specific and personalized that they put you to shame_

Karina didn't really expect much for her birthday. 

A few years with the heroes, along with getting closer in recent times only helped them figure out where her interests lay. And for the past year or so, they never failed with presents.

(Especially Nathan since he never failed to 'read her mind' as she says he does and has to thank him for knowing her _so, so well_.) 

And usually the presents she received were always useful. It was the thought that counted, right? It took everyone some effort to choose what to get her, and it was always the same when their birthdays came up. It was another year for her to see what everyone else got her, and the perfect place to do so was at one of Nathan's favorite five star restaraunts that he frequented with his partner. 

(Funny thing was, this was also the restaraunt Karina had dinner with Barnaby at all those months ago...) 

"Okay, so," Nathan began, bringing up a small gift bag in his hands and placing it in front of him before fixating his gaze on Karina, "before our Rose blows out her birthday candles, what do you say we all give her our presents, first, hm?" 

No one was protesting, and with just finishing a five course meal meant that dessert really had to be saved for later, so the others couldn't help but to agree. 

"Oh! Open mine first, Ms. Rose!" Sky High, ever the enthusiast, immediately passed her a small box and with her thanks she took it before carefully lifting the lid. 

"Thanks, Sky High...!" Karina feigned as much enthusiasm as she could, but she had to admit that it was the cutest thing. Admittedly, she'd have gone for the really cute plush snowflake socks, and as useful as the other pairs of plush socks he had gotten her were this just had to be her favorite. 

Turns out the gifts she received were just as useful as usual. A few recommended novels from Origami, a blue rose hairpin from Kotetsu, (yet another) loofah set from Rock Bison, a whole new eyeshadow palette from Nathan, and a blue laptop case from Pao lin already made her mentally cross some things off of the list she had for next year. 

"All that's left is your gift, Bunny!" Kotetsu exclaimed, patting Barnaby's back. Karina watched as Barnaby got up and walked around their table, eventually stopping behind her, and the rest she could feel were feather-like touches to her neck and shoulder area. 

"Barnaby, that's so pretty!" Pao lin blinked, eyes widening at Karina's neck with excitement. 

"Handsome, you really outdid yourself this year," Nathan agreed with a coo, watching Karina place a hand to her neck, only taking in her hand a small silver and diamond necklace on a paper thin chain now clasped around her neck. 

"Barnaby..." 

"Happy birthday, Karina."

( _This really didn't do that gift card she got him on his birthday any justice..._ )

* * *

_IX. Sometimes she texts you just as you're about to text her_

Ahh. Another end to another work day. 

It was pretty exhausting enough - more arrests, more points, more publicity...more of everything. Barnaby walked out of the dressing room first, all dressed in his casual clothes once more before setting down his jacket over the back of the couch to take out his phone. 

"Bunny!" Kotetsu called out, jogging out after him while adjusting his hat on his head. "Gonna come out with the rest of us?" 

"I don't think so," he declined rather politely, then taking out his phone from his pocket. "I'm probably just going to head home or something." 

"Ah, I gotcha." The older hero peeked over slightly, a grin slowly coming onto his face as Barnaby moved the screen away from him. "Blue Rose say anything to you, yet?" 

"Don't drink too much if you're going to drive, Kotetsu," the younger chastised. "I was going to text her - " 

 _'Hey, Barnaby, you sure you're not coming tonight? Nathan said the invite was still open for you if you changed your mind.'_ Kotetsu blinked once he heard the 'ping' of the message notification, and he managed to peek over his partner's shoulder to see exactly what the super idol had to say. Barnaby, though he took no notice of the knowing grin on his partner's face, blinked in surprise as he read over the quick text Karina sent her. 

"You know what, I think I'm going to take up Fire Emblem's offer." 

"So you're coming?" 

"Why would I miss out on good food." 

 _Why would I miss out on Blue Rose is what he meant..._ Kotetsu thought with a grin before ushering his partner out of the Apollon Media building. 

"What exactly are you grinning about, old man?" 

"Nothing, nothing! Now come on, we don't want to keep your lady love waiting!" 

"...You've really lost it, Kotetsu." 

(Sure, Kotetsu was pretty crazy.

He was the one who lost it this time.)

* * *

  _X. Sometimes she'll post throwback pictures of the two of you "just because"_

Memories were pretty great, he guessed. Just not this one.

Barnaby was never really the type to fret over social media. In fact, Kotetsu and Karina were the ones who convinced him to actually get a social media platform (Kotetsu more so because Kaede was super bent on him getting one and also agonized over the fact that _Barnaby_ never went on social media), and once he did the following he gained benefitted him a lot. He was getting used to posting pictures and checking his feed (along with emails as a second priority) became a part of his morning routine. 

There was one picture, though, that managed to get his attention.

(It got his attention because he was tagged in it.) 

It was an old, but seemingly fairly recent picture of him with Karina, and it was at one of the photoshoots that they had taken together with the caption simply being a hashtag with the letters 'tb'.

Now, he was either pretty old, or he wasn't on social media long enough to understand hashtags. Or what this...'tb' was. Maybe it was just his and Kotetsu's team name without the 'and' part of it. 

(No, that wasn't it...) 

It stuck with him, though, and he only liked Karina's picture without saying anything more and exiting his apartment, looking to see Karina already pulled up and waiting for him to come out. He immediately opened the door on the passenger's side and smiled slightly at the blonde in the driver's seat, who smiled back when she adjusted the mirrors once more. 

"You know you didn't have to come and get me on the way to work," Barnaby started, turning to look at her only to be met with her eyes on the road once they started off on their way to their respective companies. 

"I offered, remember?" Karina asked with a small smile of her own before asking, "You saw the photo I posted, right?" 

"Yeah...uh...#tb?" 

"Huh?" 

Barnaby didn't know if it was a stupid question or not, but he did ask nonetheless. "That means something, right?" 

"Huh? Throwback?" 

Ohh...that's what it meant. Maybe if she knew it wrote it out then he was able to get it, but then again he never had a social media platform in the first place. 

"It's not that old to be a throwback pic, isn't it?" 

Karina laughed softly, then stopping at a red light, "I mean, it was like a year ago." 

The two went on to drive in silence before Karina stopped in front of the Apollon Media building and sat back for a moment. 

"So, how was reading the article?" Barnaby finally asked, then turning to face her now that they had the chance. 

"Huh? How'd you know about that?" 

"I saw you reading it yesterday. Figured anything out?"

At that, Karina turned to face him with a smile. "Yeah. I think I have." 

(Barnaby only smiled back at that, too.) 

**Author's Note:**

> Once again post-Rising/post-canon. 
> 
> Liz, thanks for not leaving me in the dust with this pairing. I really thought I was the only one :') 
> 
> Also, a link to the article in case you'd like to read for yourself~ http://www.cosmopolitan.com/sex-love/news/a62946/little-ways-he-shows-you-youre-always-on-his-mind/


End file.
